The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute deployed a new mooring
June 29, just outside Monterey Bay. The mooring, called
"M2", was deployed at 36 41.01N, 122 24.52W, to replace the
previous M2 mooring that had been lost in heavy storms this February.

New inductive temperature and salinity pods made the deployment
much easier than previous deployments, eliminating the need to attach
a thermistor string, according to scientist Francisco Chavez, who
heads MBARI’s biological oceanography group. The mooring was
deployed from the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories’ R/V Point Sur.
The operation was completed in a little more than an hour.

The biological oceanography group produces a large volume of data
from its mooring operations, as well as from tri-weekly cruises in
Monterey Bay. It is our intent to share this data as freely as
possible with the general oceanographic community so as to maximize
its utility and exposure.

After deploying the new mooring, researchers aboard the R/V Point
Sur proceeded to the site where the previous M2 had been lost. The
mooring’s acoustic release was "released", and MBARI staff
watched its coordinates as the attached flotation brought it up
through the water column. It stopped at around 700 meters. We presume
the sunken mooring is serving as an anchor. It is estimated the
mooring is submerged at approximately 36 42.6N, 122 23.5W.